Measuring valve



June 2, 1931. T. J. PARKER umsunme VALVE Filed Aug. 18, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J7? 2/6 t 0 7": I 772077705 (II/" ark THOMAS J. PARKER, F

. charge is automatically forced into t anism to be lubricated. The supply to the Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO WILLIAIQ MCGUINEAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MEASURING VALVE.

Application filed August 18, 1930. Serial No. 476,042.

This invention relates to measuring valves for central lubricating systems which commonly comprise a lubricant reservoir, a compressor, pipe line and an automatic valve for each bearing which the line is intended to supply with lubricant. 7

One of the ob'ects of the invention is to produce a device sturdy in structure and clependable in operation. I

The measuring valve is so constructed that a definitely. measured charge of lubricant is received into the valve when pressure is applied to the supply of lubricant, and the he mechvalve chamber is cut off simultaneously with the opening of the outlet and as no back flow of lubricant occurs at any time during the operation, consequently binding of the parts is avoided.

Another object is to so construct the measuring valve that no leakage of lubricant from the valve chamber will occur between the intermittent discharges of measured charges of lubricant.

Other objects and advantages will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a measuring valve embodying my invention, showing the parts in normal position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the pistons in elevation and the parts in the position they assume when almost a fullcharge of lubricant has been forced into the device. g r

Fig. 3 is a. horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking downwardly as indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken onv the line 4.4 of Fig. 3, being at a right angle to the section of Fig. 1,-and showing the position which the parts assume just after a full charge of lubricant has been taken into the device and the lubricant is about to be forced automatically into the bearing or mechanism to be lubricated.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the valve, partly in section, to show the trip lever. t Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4, looking downwardly.

Fig. 7 is a'horizontal section taken 'on the line 77 of Fig. 4, looking downwardly,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view, lower end up, of the integral sleeve and valve plug.

In that embodiment of my invention shown, in the drawings, the valve housing is indicated at 1 0 and a cup shaped cap at 11. The cap fits snugly over the peripheral surface. of the flange 12 of the housing'10. Theinternal diameter of the housing 10 is uniform andsaid housing forms a valve chamber 13, which at its lower end communicates with an outlet 14 through a valve seat 15. The nozzle end 16 of the housing. 10 is preferablyscrew threaded for engagement vwith a part 17 of the bearing or mechanism to be lubricated.

' In the side wall of the housing 10, somewhat above the lower surface 10 of the chamber 13, is an inlet 18' preferably screw threaded to receive the supply line 19.

, Withinthe housing is an integral open ended sleeve and valve plug alternately closing theinlet and outlet ports. The combination comprises an open ended piston or sleeve 20 which fits snugly within the housing 10, a cross bar 21 integral with the sleeve 20 and a centrally located valve plug 22 on said bar adapted to seat in the valve seat 15. Extend: ing axially upwardly from the cross bar 21 is a tubular bearing or spacer 23 in which is fixedly secured one end of a longitudinally movable shaft 24.' A movable sleeve or spacer 25'is slidably mounted on the shaft 2 1 and restsupon the shoulder formed by the upper end of thebearing 23.

A pressure operated piston located'above the inlet 18, comprises a tubular'wall 26 inwardly through and slightly beyond the top" of the guide 33. A nut or head 35- is secured on the upper end of the shaft 24.

The cross bar 32 cooperates with the web 27 to retain between them a heavy coiledspring 36, the strength of the spring 36 being related to the amount ofpressure in the supply line. The lower end of the spring 36 surrounds the bearing 28 of the piston 26 and the upper end surrounds the; flange 34 on the cross bar 32. Inwardly of the spring 36, surrounding the shaft 24,-is a lighter spring 37, the lower end offwhich bears on the shoulder formed by the upper end of the bearing 28 of the piston andzthe upper end of'said springbears against the nut 35 onthe shaft 24.

By reference to Fig.3'it, will be seen that the cross bar 32has formed on one longitudinal side a'pair of horizontally aperturedears 38'between. which is pivotally mounted a trip. lever by a pin 39 extending through the ears 38.. The trip lever is best shown in Fig. 5.

It comprises an upright arm 40 provided with a hook 41 at its upper end and a curved horizontally disposed arm 42ehaving a depending contactfend 43., A spring 44 for hearing on the arm 40 is secured. to the housing flange 12 by screws45. Astop '46 is secured to the cross bar 32.

The operation of the measuring valve. is as follows Assumev the parts to be in the position.

shown in Fig.;1 ,,with,the outlet 14 closed by thelvalve plug 22 in theseat-15', theinlet 18 open, and the piston 26 in its lowermost position relative tothe sleeve 20; that is to say,-

with the bearing 29 resting on spacer sleeve 25. The length of the chamber 13 is defined bythe web 27'at the top and. by the housing walllO at the bottom; To increase or decrease, the initial, size. of the chamber, the spacer sleeve may be made any desired length, Lubricant is forced under pressure throughdnlet 18 into the chamber. 13 and as the space betweenthe web 27 and floor 10 becomes filled, the piston 26 is forced upwardly against the tension of the spring 36 into the position shown in F ig. 2. As there shown,,the'top edge of the piston wall 26. has just reached the contact end.43.of the arm 42 offthetrip lever whichis. holding the shaft 24,.sleeve 2Q and valve plug 15 in their most downwardly position. The. spring 36 has been compressed between the web 27 and cross bar 32 and the spring 37 has been compressed between the shaft head 35 and top of the bearing 28, as shown in Fig. 2. As a little more lubricant under pressure is forced into the chamber 13 the piston 26 continues moving upwardly beyond the point shown in Fig. 2 until the contact between the arm 42-43 and piston 26 causes the trip lever to move on its pivot 39 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4, thereby causing the hook '41 to disengage the head 35. Under the expansive powerof the spring 37 against the head 35,

the shaft 24 carrying the sleeve 20 and valve 7 plug 22 is lifted into the position shown in Fig. 4. The extent of movement of the shaft 24 is'limited by contact ofthe head 35 with the. cover 11'. This operation opens the valve 15,

placing the outlet 14 in communication with the chamber 13, and at the same time the sleeve 20 is moved into a position opposite the inlet 18 and thereby closes the same.

The measured charge of lubricant in the chamber 13 is ready to be forced downwardly into the outlet 14. This is accomplished by means of the expansion of the heavy spring 36. The beginningof the downward move ment of piston 26 does not disturb the'position of the sleeve 20 by means of which the inlet 18 is closed. During this time the lubricant is being forced through the sleeve 20, valve 15 to the outlet 14. When the bearing 29-has descended sufliciently to contact with. the spacer sleeve 25 which in turncontacts with the bearing 23 of the sleeve 20 then the sleeve 20 is moved downwardly and the plug 22 again seats in the seat 15 and the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, the spring 44, causing the hook 41 to engage the head 35 as soon as the downward movement ofthe piston 26 under influence of spring 36 has been completed. w

Ghangesmay be made in details of con struction without departing from the scope of my invention and I do not intend to be limited to the exact form shown and described'except as set forth in the appended claims. r I

I claim: V H I 1. A measuring valve comprising a housing' forming a. fluid receiving chamber; an outlet and an inlet communicating with the chamber, a. shaft movably mounted in the housing, inlet andoutlet closing means fixed to the shaft, the inlet'beingonormally open andthe outlet normally closed, a piston slid ably mounted on the shaft, operative connections between the piston and theshaft formoving the shaftlongitudinally relative. to" the piston when the piston has been. actuatedunder influence of fluid pressureinthe cham ber, means for moving the piston in the opposite direction and means forreversingthe direction of the shafttorestorethe inlet.- and. outlet closing means to normal. position,

said operative connections between piston and shaft comprising a head on the shaft, a coiled spring on the shaft between the piston and the head, a pivoted trip lever fixed on the housing, in engagement with the shaft head and having a contact arm adapted for engagement with the piston for releasing the trip lever from the head when the lever is pivotally actuated by said piston.

2. A measuring valve comprising a housing forming a fluid receiving chamber, an outlet and an inlet communicating with the chamber, a shaft movably mounted in the housing, inlet and outlet closing means fixed to the shaft, the inlet being normally open and the outlet normally closed, a piston slidably mounted on the shaft, operative connections between the piston and the shaft for moving the shaft longitudinally relative to the piston when the piston has been actuated under influence of fluid pressure in the chamber, means comprising a cross bar fixed to the housing and a coiled spring between the piston and the cross bar, for moving the piston in the opposite direction, and means for reversing the direction of the shaft to restore the inlet and outlet closing means to normal position.

3. A measuring valve comprising a housing forming a fluid receiving chamber, an outlet and an inlet communicating with the chamber, a shaft movably mounted in the housing, inlet and outlet closing means fixed to the shaft, the inlet being normally open and the outlet normally closed, a piston slidably mounted on the shaft, operative connections between the piston and the shaft for moving the shaft longitudinally relative to the piston when the piston has been actuated under influence of fluid pressure in the chamber, means for moving the piston in the opposite direction, and means for reversing the direction of the shaft to restore the inlet and outlet closing means to normal position, said last mentioned means comprising the piston and a sleeve on the shaft bearing on the inlet and outlet closing means.

4. A measuring valve comprising a housing forming a fluid receiving chamber, an outlet and an inlet communicating with the chamber, a shaft movably mounted in the housing, inlet and outlet closing means fixed to the shaft, the inlet being normally open and the outlet normally closed, a piston slidably mounted on the shaft, operative connections between the piston and the shaft for moving the shaft longitudinally relative to the piston when the piston has been actuated under influence of fluid pressure in the chamber, means comprising a cross bar fixed to the housing and a coiled spring between the piston and the cross bar, for moving the piston in the opposite direction, and means for reversing the direction of the shaft to restore the inlet and outlet closing means to normal position, said last mentioned means ably mounted on the shaft, tension means associated with the piston, tension means associated with the shaft, mechanism actuated by the piston at. the end of its pressure-operated stroke for relieving tension on the shaft, and means for restoring said tension 7 on the shaft as the piston nears the end of its reverse stroke.

6. A measuring valve comprising a housing forming a fluid receiving chamber, an outlet and an inlet communicating with the chamber, a shaft movably mounted in the housing, inlet and outlet closing means fixed to the shaft, the inlet being normally open and the outlet normally closed, a piston slidably' mounted on the shaft, operative connections between the piston and the shaft and between the piston and the housing for simultaneously putting the piston and the shaft under spring tension, mechanism operated by the piston for releasing tension on the shaft to close the inlet and open the outlet, and operative connections between the piston and the shaft for carrying the shaft with the slidable piston as said piston nears the end of its stroke under influence of spring tension.

7. A measuring valve comprising a cylindrical housing forming a fluidchamber, an

outlet at one end of the chamber, a valve seat in the outlet, an inlet to the chamber, a longitudinal extending headed shaft movably mounted in the chamber, a valve plug on one end of the shaft adapted to seat in the outlet valve seat, inlet closing means secured to the shaft, a fluid pressure operated piston slidably mounted on the shaft,-spacer on the shaft between the piston and the inlet closing means, a rigid bar extending across the top of the housing, a heavy coiled spring between the piston and the cross bar, a lighter coiled spring between the piston and the head of the shaft, a lever pivotally secured to the cross bar and adapted to engage the head of the shaft and to be released from said shaft by contact with the piston,'and a cap for closing the top of the housing.

In testimony, that 'I claim the foregoing as my invention, I affix my signature, this 15th day of August, 1930.

THOMAS J. PARKER. 

